Secret Button Sequence Bypasses iPhone Security | Threat Level

A security flaw in the iPhone allows strangers to bypass the handset’s lock screen with a few button presses.

In the video below, a Brazilian iPhone customer demonstrates the quick method to circumvent an iPhone’s passcode-protected lock screen: tap the “Emergency call” button, then enter three pound signs, hit the green call button and immediately press the lock button. That simple procedure gives a snoop full access to the Phone app on the iPhone, which contains the address book, voicemail and call history.

Wired.com tried out the procedure with complete success on an iPhone 4 running iOS 4.1, the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system.

Apple did not immediately return a phone call or e-mail requesting comment.

Though hailed as one of the best-selling handsets on the market, security researchers have criticized the iPhone for its weak security. A very similar security flaw discovered on the iPhone in 2008 allowed people to easily bypass the lock screen to access mail, contacts and bookmarks. Apple later acknowledged the bug and issued a software update patching the issue.